Legend of Fei

23. What? No More Watergrass?

Xie Yun looked over at A'Fei hashing through the wilderness in the wrong direction with blood dripping from the shorthand sabre and smiled. The moment the saber killed Feng Feihui, his suspicions solidified. Why did the White Tiger save his younger brother when he tried to get him captured and killed according to Feng Feng's words? Unless...

Feng Feng wasn't just a younger brother. He was it. As soon as A'Fei was out of sight, he snapped back to the present.

"We have to go this way," teasing her never got old. He tightened the herb's box and placed it back in his lapels, the only thing they had managed to save apart from the water vessel and their blades. She came back into view and glared at him once but continued her work. He laughed. Laughing felt foreign for a while as his body felt tense from the faceoff with the Feng brothers. He closed his eyes and Feng Feng's expression of rage loomed before him as did Feng Feihui's horror. 

He looked at A'Fei again, going in and out of sight. His heart gave way when he couldn't see her.

"A'Fei. That is far enough. We should be on our way." His worry was unreasonable. The old man was dead but with how easily he was able to kill the man, proved his theory even more so.

"There is blood left on the sabre," he couldn't see her now. His heart was pounding in his ears. For all he knew someone could still be following them and he wasn't sure if A'Fei would catch it.

"It's all right," he began walking on the path she had cleared. She lost her way when she wasn't paying attention. With him around, she rarely paid attention to the aurroundings. He couldn't be at ease. As suspected, when she did not respond, he hurried. There was small muddy pool ahead and she was looking around, trying to find her way back. The pressure on his chest eased.

He smiled, "did you forget where you came from?"

She narrowed her eyes, sheathed her sabre and walked past him, slamming her heel on his foot.

"Ow. ow ow ow. A'Fei." He hopped after her as they followed back the blood trail.

That was two days ago. They had been travelling through the wilderness, narrowly escaping White Tiger stooges thrice now. It was another night in the forest for them now that Xie Yun and his tactics had managed to loose them again.

As they settled for the night, Xie Yun build a fire in the forest clearing and gathered a few wild fruits for dinner.

"This is the last time you will have to suffer in the wilderness A'Fei. Tomorrow, I will bring you to a safe place."

"Where?" She didn't argue that she could take care of herself.

"Beggar's village. It should be safe there." A'Fei went back to peeling fruits with her blade. She knew Xie Yun was looking at her but said nothing and went back to collecting fruits. Before she was done with the little fruit haul, Xie Yun unloaded more onto the ground near his cloak where the pealed fruits lay near her.

"That will be enough," she caught his wrist and jerked down, causing him to stumble and plop beside her with a grunt.

"Sorry." she placed a light hand on his shoulder. He was injured. He smiled back and shook his head, "it's fine. You need more food in your system." 

He picked a piece and hung it in front of her mouth. She obediently parted her lips.

"Sure," she continued to peel as he fed her. It was getting harder and harder to look for food in the night but she let him wander until she was done peeling. 

"Come. Eat." he flopped down beside her.

"I am exhausted." his smile did not match his words but his gait sagged back and he lay his head on muddy, barren land. She shifted her weight and swung him around in one move. Before he could protest she transferred internal energy to heal him.